In the many years since bedpans were introduced and despite the many advances of medicine, no substantial practical progress has been made to ease the discomfort in using a bedpan, especially when bedridden. In some cases, a specialized bedpan known as a fracture pan is used.
A fracture pan is a bedpan that is smaller than the standard bedpan with which most hospital patients are familiar. A fracture pan is tapered like a wedge to allow the thin edge to be inserted first under the hips, gradually to raise the hips and buttocks. Most fracture pans are also tapered like a wedge in plan view also, presumably to ease the insertion by minimizing the area of the pan placed furthest under the patient. Fracture pans typically have a rim surrounding the periphery of the pan and extending therefrom. The fracture pan is especially designed to minimize the movement of a patient suffering from a severe fracture, or back or neck injury, the treatment for which requires confinement to bed with minimal movement. Even a fracture pan normally requires the lifting of the hips to allow placement of the fracture pan into a position for use. Even this slight motion can bring excruciating pain and potential hazard to certain bedridden patients.
A poll of medical professionals revealed no commercially available equipment to help the patient to deal with this problem. A search of the patent literature reveals limited prior art, none of which is seen to anticipate the present invention. Specifically, none of the prior art inventions rely upon the depressing of the top surface of the lifting device to provide for inserting the bedpan without moving the patient.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 211,741 (Johnson), 1,981,666 (Ridley), and 4,271,546 (Martin) all teach devices that elevate the hips for insertion of a bedpan. The devices described in these patents all have shortcomings that are overcome by the present invention.
The teachings of Ridley and Johnson both include elevation of the torso as well as the hips but not the legs. Martin lifts only the hips, not the legs nor the chest. In the teachings of all of these patents, the hips and lower abdomen are raised to a higher elevation than the chest and the legs; medical professionals have pointed out to me that putting certain patients in a position wherein the abdomen is higher than the chest can be dangerous in that their breathing can be made more difficult due to added pressure on the bottom of the diaphragm. My research indicates that the lack of support for the legs is also a serious shortcoming that could cause considerable discomfort or pain to the patient. In contrast, the present invention raises the entire body safely, gently, and, most importantly, evenly.
One prior patent teaches a device that provides total support of the patient's body as it is raised to provide for the placement of a bedpan for use by the patient. U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,599 (Mracek et al.) teaches an inflatable underlayment pad that, when it is fully inflated, is sufficiently rigid that additional inflatable spacers at each end of that pad may be inflated to lift that entire pad, patient and all, four to twelve inches above the underlying mattress for placement of a bedpan or other receptacle under that pad. This high degree of rigidity must be the result of inflation pressures much higher than are typical of common air mattresses and much higher than would be available from inexpensive inflation devices. Such high pressures as would provide such rigidity must also require the use of a very specialized materials for constructing such a mat--materials that are substantially similar to the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation's three-dimensional structural fabrics sold under the name AIRMAT, which are named in Mracek's patent.
When the pad of Mracek's invention reaches the desired elevation by the inflation of said inflatable spacers, the clearance under that pad is sufficient to place a standard bedpan beneath that pad in register with a through passage in that pad. That through passage is in register with the rectal area of the bed patient for defecation through that through passage and into that bedpan below (not within) that through passage. That equipment clearly requires no motion of or by the patient, whatsoever. An alternative embodiment of that invention involves the inserting of a baglike disposable bedpan into the through passage from above, which process requires some considerable movement of or by the bedridden patient and manipulation by the attendant to position and anchor the bedpan in place. Movement is again required for the careful removal of the disposable bedpan, which is presumably now contaminated with body wastes.
In contrast to Mracek's invention, the present invention does not require additional inflatable spacers to lift the basic unit, because the bedpan is inserted from above the inflatable pad, not placed below it. Owing to the relatively lower inflation pressure and concomitant softness of the present invention when fully inflated, the bedpan can be inserted and removed with little or no movement of the patient. The insertion of the bedpan is accomplished by slipping the bedpan between the patient's knees or lower legs or even at his feet and pressing it down to deform the soft inflated pad while sliding the bedpan along and under the legs and downward into its use position in the cavity under the buttocks in register with the rectal area of the patient. Note that the only space required between the legs is that space that will allow the passing of the attendant's hand and wrist between the legs. Such space is most often present when a patient is in a supine position, so there is no need for the patient's legs or hips to be moved as the bedpan is inserted while using this invention. In the special case of using a fracture pan, the wedge shape of the fracture pan helps during insertion to depress the surface of the inflated pad rather than requiring the patient to be lifted or displaced in any way. Greater downward force may be needed to depress the top surface of the inflatable pad of the present invention during the insertion of a standard bedpan into the cavity thereof.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a pneumatic underlayment lifting device for use under a bedridden patient to lift that patient sufficiently to provide clearance for the insertion of a bedpan or similar device in a cavity in the inflated pneumatic lifting device.
It is also an object of this invention to provide such a pneumatic lifting device for use by a bedridden patient, such that the lifting device supports the body over substantially the entire length thereof.
It is also an object of this invention to provide such a pneumatic lifting device that may remain under the patient in either an inflated or, preferably, in a deflated state while not required for use of a bedpan.
These and other objects of my invention will be made clear in the following description of my invention.